How to Find Out More About Your Loved One’s Workplace Fatality in Chicago

If your loved one recently passed away due to a fatal workplace accident in Chicago, you may be intent on finding out more about their final moments. Perhaps the reports you have received from officials are too vague, leaving you with more questions than answers. An experienced workers’ comp lawyer in Chicago may be able to help you gather more information.

Ask Their Co-Workers

Your loved one’s co-workers may have witnessed their last moments. You may want to reach out to some of these individuals and ask if they can provide more information about the circumstances of the accident. While some of these details could be disturbing, more context can often provide a sense of closure. Some of your loved one’s co-workers may have even heard their last words before they passed on.

OSHA Should Remain in Close Communication

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that it is committed to keeping families informed about the status of safety investigations after fatal workplace accidents. In fact, you should not have to reach out to OSHA at all. Instead, an OSHA representative should reach out to you or one of your family members relatively early during the investigation.

If you need more information from OSHA, you can file a formal records request. If you want to know something specific about your loved one’s fatality, you can ask to review OSHA’s documents by either contacting them directly or filing a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request.

Speak With the Employer

Another option is to speak directly with your loved one’s employer. Your loved one’s employer might be able to share additional insights, and they may even have surveillance footage of the fatal accident itself. That being said, employers are sometimes relatively tight-lipped about these incidents, especially if they are facing an OSHA investigation for potential safety violations.

Your workers’ compensation lawyer can communicate with the employer on your behalf if you’re not comfortable with this type of confrontation. If the employer is not complying with requests for documents, videos, or other information, you may be able to compel them to hand it over.

Various Forms of Data Might Be Helpful

If your loved one was driving a vehicle at the time of their death, you may be able to access the “black box” to uncover even more information about the crash. If your loved one was carrying their cell phone at the time of their death, this device could also contain valuable metadata. Speaking of phones, co-workers may also have valuable images or videos of the incident on their own devices.

Can a Chicago Workers’ Comp Lawyer Help Me?

If you’re searching for answers after a fatal workplace accident in Chicago, a workers’ comp lawyer may be able to shed more light on the situation. These legal professionals often investigate the circumstances of workplace fatalities, discovering information that local officials might have missed. Contact Connolly Injury Law today at 312-635-4639 to learn more.

Source: 

osha.gov/condolences